The potential for Westbrook to have its first female mayor and a race for a City Council seat that will pit two neighbors against each other could make for an interesting election this November.
Westbrook’s Republican and Democratic city committees officially nominated candidates this week in the races for mayor, City Council, School Committee and city clerk.
Mayor Bruce Chuluda received the nomination to run for a fourth term as Westbrook’s top administrator at the Republican caucus Sunday. Colleen Hilton, a long-time School Committee member, was expected to receive the nomination for mayor from the Democratic Party at its caucus Wednesday night, after the American Journal deadline.
Hilton said Tuesday she didn’t want to presume she’d receive the nomination, but would be “willing to run and would look forward to the challenge.”
If elected, Hilton would be the first woman in Westbrook to hold the position.
Chuluda said he’s particularly proud of bringing a recycling program to Westbrook and controlling taxes during his past six years as mayor. He said he’d like to stay on to continue cultivating economic development opportunities in the city.
“I love the job,” he said.
Six of the seven city councilors will run for re-election to their two-year seats this fall. Councilor Drew Gattine will not seek re-election to his Ward 2 seat, which will make way for two newcomers seeking office.
Republican David Tapley and Democrat Victor Chau, both of whom live on Dale Avenue, will face off for the opening on the council.
“He’s a good friend of mine,” Tapley said of Chau. “We’re having a Labor Day party, and he’s one the people who’s coming.”
For other council seats, Republicans nominated incumbents Lyle Cramer in Ward 3 and John O’Hara for councilor at-large.
Council President Brendan Rielly, a Democrat who was “on the fence” about whether he’d run again, has decided to seek the nomination for a fifth term representing Ward 1.
As for other Democratic nominations, Rielly said incumbents Dotty Aube and Suzanne Joyce would be seeking re-election in Wards 4 and 5, respectively, and Councilor Mike Foley would also run again for one of the two at-large seats.
Democrat Paul Emery, currently a member of the city’s Planning Board, plans to challenge Cramer in Ward 3.
For city clerk, Lynda Adams is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for a second term. No Republicans have stepped forward yet to run against her.
Three seats on the School Committee are opening up this year. Committee members Ed Symbol, a Republican in Ward 3, and Mary Hall, a Democrat in Ward 4, are both looking to be re-elected. Democrat Emily Serway is expected to run for an at-large seat, currently held by mayoral candidate Hilton. Republican Gary Rairdon will challenge Hall.
Both parties are still looking for candidates to run in the uncontested races. Adams said the deadline to file nomination papers with the city is Sept. 18. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Reporter Robert Lowell also contributed to this article.
William Holmes, vice chairman of the Westbrook Republican City Committee, standing, checks caucus information Sunday with Mayor Bruce Chuluda, who was nominated by the party as its candidate for mayor. (Staff photo by Robert Lowell)
Colleen Hilton is the Democratic nominee for Westbrook mayor. If elected in November, she would be the city’s first female mayor. (Courtesy photo)
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